Summer Intensives

Quicklinks

Come make news in New York City this summer! The Summer Intensives is a program that offers affordable one-week or two-week classes in July at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism in the heart of the city.

Each summer, dozens of journalists, journalism teachers and students come from all over the world to learn new skills, practice journalism and network with top professionals. Join us in 2019 to:

Classes

Every class showcases several instructors, including a lead instructor, as well as expert guest speakers. When feasible and appropriate, we will organize visits to top New York City newsrooms. Students who complete each course satisfactorily will receive a certificate of completion.

Covering a beat means reporting on a specific neighborhood, like Jackson Heights in Queens, or a segment of the population, such as new immigrants. It means delving deeply into that community to uncover untold stories. This two-week class focuses on reporting and writing but also touches on multimedia storytelling methods. You will:

Decide on a beat and learn to foster a relationship with that community

Identify story ideas from research, interviews and analysis

Learn to pitch stories

Master writing in terms of story elements, structure, grammar and color

James Estrin is the formidable co-founder and editor of the famed Lens photography blog at The New York Times and a senior staff photographer who was part of a Pulitzer Prize winning team. During this intensive, hands-on week, you will learn from a true master how to edit and sequence a story, as well as promote the story and yourself. Class size is limited. You will:

Hear from guest speakers, including master photographers and photo editors.

In-depth conversations, group lunches with master photographers and photo editors.

Being a journalist today means being proficient in multimedia skills -social media, video, audio, data, and new tech. In this two-week class, you will learn to use digital techniques and new technologies to report on the streets of New York and produce visually compelling work that gets noticed online. You will:

Use your smartphone to interview, photograph, edit and distribute your New York City reporting

Take better digital photos, audio and video in all conditions

Maximize your use of social media for reporting and distributing

Produce engaging, short-form social media videos

Understand the basics of data analysis and visualization

Try out new tools and explore the storytelling possibilities of new technologies like 360-degree video, augmented reality, bots, etc…

Practice with frequent hands-on exercises and work on a final project to showcase your new skills

Video accounts for 70% of all Internet traffic and mobile video is set to explode. Master the art of making compelling video stories from theory to practice and from shooting to editing, using our professional equipment and guidance from a professional videographer. In this two-week deep dive, you will cover:

The elements of a visual story -strong characters, story arc, arresting visuals and good audio

Housing

You are free to make your own housing arrangements for your stay in New York City (hotel, airbnb, friend’s couch, etc…) or you can stay at The Towers, a student dorm at the City University of New York that is available to visitors during the summer for the extra price of $955 for a two-week period. Please indicate in your application if you’d like to stay at The Towers. Space is limited.

Where are The Towers and how far is it from school?
It is located on the campus of The City College Of New York, a quick 20-minute subway ride to Times Square (where our school is located) on the A train.

What are the rooms like?
The accommodations are double rooms, which means you will share with another person who is also enrolled in the Summer Intensives program. Each double room has a bathroom and a small kitchen area. Towels and bed linens are provided but kitchen utensils are not. Please plan on bringing plates, silverware, pots, pans, etc., with you or plan to buy them in New York City.

When can we move in? When do we have to move out?
You are permitted to check-in the Sunday before your Summer Intensive course begins and must check-out the Saturday after the workshop ends.

FAQs

1. Who can apply?

Summer Intensives are open to any person, 18 or older, interested in learning new skills. Past participants have included undergraduate and graduate students studying communications, media and other related fields, as well as seasoned journalists, media professionals and educators. Participants have come from across the United States and from countries throughout the world.

2. Will I receive undergraduate or graduate credits?

No. This is a non-academic program that does not result in any earned credit hours, nor does it result in a degree, nor guarantees admission into any degree program.

3. How do I apply and pay?

Step 1 – Read the class descriptions and decide which class(es) you are most interested in. Also decide if you are interested in staying at The Towers or if you want to find lodging on your own.

Step 2 – Complete the application. (Each class has a limit of 20 participants.) After you have completed the application, you should expect a response within 5 business days.

Step 3 – If your application has been accepted, you will receive an invitation via e-mail with a link to pay a $50 deposit to secure your seat. You will need to pay this deposit within 14 days of the acceptance of your application. (An additional $50 deposit is required for those requesting campus housing.) Deposits are applied to the remainder of your balance.

Step 4 – A second installment of $500 will be requested by March 15, 2019 which will also go toward your balance.

Step 5 – The final balance will be due by May 31, 2019.

(A class may reopen slots after deposit deadlines have passed. If a class you are interested in is no longer available via the application, please send an e-mail to be added to the waitlist.)

4. Are deposits refundable?

All payments are refundable through May 30, 2019. Beginning May 31, 2019, all payments are 100% non-refundable and non-transferable.

All payments made on or after May 31, 2019 are subject to the 100% non-refundable and non-transferable terms.

5. Is there financial aid or scholarships available?

Financial aid and scholarships are not available for this program.

6. Can I take more than one course?

We welcome participants to take more than one class as long as the dates do not overlap.

7. What is the day/time commitment for each class?

Anticipate classes will be held on consecutive week days with average start times of 9 am and average end times of 4 pm. There are no classes on the weekends.

8. What if English is not my first language?

We do not require the TOEFL or any other exam. Many of our students are people for whom English is not the first language but who are able to follow in class, absorb the material and participate in all activities. Please make sure that your proficiency level is sufficient for a college-level class.

9. As a foreign student, do I need to apply for a visa to participate?

Since this is a short course, you will not need a student visa or exchange visitor visa. We may provide you with a letter of invitation which will help you to obtain a B1/B2 visitor visa if that is needed.

10. What extra benefits are included in the class fee?

One 1-week or 2-week unlimited ride MetroCard to be used for public transportation travel for the duration of your class time

One complimentary welcome breakfast on the first day of class

One lunchtime presentation (lunch is provided)

One free sightseeing cruise on the Circle Line to enjoy New York’s world-famous skyline at sunset

What last year’s students said

“I learned a lot from knowledgeable people. The classes were engaging and they taught me everything I wanted to know. Also, it was great getting to visit newsrooms to see first-hand how journalists work.”

“The instructor is just brilliant. His schedule for the course was just perfect. I liked the way he did the training for digital storytelling, the lecturers he invited for noon talks. And the daily assignments just helped me gain a deeper understanding for the sessions and made me feel productive during the whole course. I also appreciate other wonderful lecturers as well.”

“So grateful to John and all the other professors including the people who gave us the lectures. They were so generous to share their experiences and knowledge to us. Honestly, I know the journalism field more widely.”